When you find somebody like you have found in each other, then you have found your ‘Anam Cara’… you have found your Soul Friend.”
There are few couples I have met that inspire the kind of love and affection from the people around them as Molly and Haynes. Travelling from Colorado and Texas to celebrate their dream Irish castle wedding in Dromoland Castle, Molly and Haynes celebrated with the style and freeness of two people who are deeply in love, surrounded by devoted family. Dromoland Castle and its grounds were bathed in golden winter light as the surrounding woodlands were burning in Autumn. In Molly’s own words, “think jewel toned flowers and greenery, sable furs over emerald dresses for the bridesmaids, candles on mirrored surfaces, and of course lots of fires in fireplaces.”
Molly and Haynes were adamant that their wedding would be a jovial affair and I really wanted to capture this in their wedding film by choosing music that was fun, upbeat (and a bit weird!) to create some off-beat narrative arcs to match this couples’ off-beat energy for their alternative wedding film! We had so much fun telling this story. We arrived the day before to record the night before festivities and speeches. This was a beautiful part of the celebration to capture because everyone was so relaxed and open. We captured some beautiful moments that were key in telling their wedding film story.
On the morning of the big day, from the get-go there were dance-offs, singing, silly voices and jokes. Everywhere people were having fun, and nothing was taken too seriously. In the morning the boys braved the Irish elements to shoot clay pigeons while the girls where made-up over tea. In a blur the boys were descending the stairs above Brian Boru hall, their black tuxedos in contrast to the autumnal flower arrangements. The bridesmaids descended next and the ceremony began with Darragh Molloy holding a beautiful pagan ceremony, complete with handfasting and pagan rituals to bind the couple in marriage.
The grounds of Dromoland were revealing their final bounty before winter, as the pears and apples trees sagged with fruit. We walked through the gardens to capture Molly and Haynes in the glow of their happiness. There was a lot of laughing as we tried to cajole Haynes out of mischief to capture some intimate imagery of the couple in the beautiful walled gardens and pear enclosure. Despite the mischief their love for each other was undeniable during this beautiful autumn wedding.
The night was topped by the 18-piece Joe Petits’s Dream Band who kept the dancefloor throbbing until the wee hours. Joe is a master of getting the crowd into it as he twisted and moved through the crowd, offering his mic to any willing participants. This wedding will live long in the memory.
